Bench-vise



(No odel. I x Q LEWIS,

ENCH VISB.

Patented June77, 1898.

Too/ll whom it may concern.-

-- UNITED STAT S MORTIMER e. L wIs,

PATENT OFFICE.

on NEW YoRK, N. Y.

BENCH-VISE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,107, dated June *7, 1898.

Application filed March 2, 1898.

Be it known that I, MORTIMER G. LE Is, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of N ew-York, have invented certain new and useful Im-,

provements in Bench-Vises, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the accompany; ing drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to bench-vises; and

particularly to that variety thereof wherein the clamping mechanism is mounted and arranged to turn upon the base around a fixed vertical axis to afford convenient presenta-, tion of the work. Vises of this kind are commonly known as swivel-Vises.

The object of my invention is to provide or produce a simple, cheap, durable, GffiClQlll), reliable, and easily-acting means for securely clamping the movable or-turning part'at any point upon the top of the, fixed base, the

clamping being effected always from a point above the base within convenient reach and the improved mechanism being located enfurther advantages in the matters of construction, operation, and use, my improvements involve certain new and useful arrangements or combinations of parts and pe: culiar features of invention, as Will be herein first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Heretofore swivel-Vises have been clamped by screws or nuts located beneath the bench, and requiring the bench to be cut or perfo rated in order to admit the clamping-bolt,

necessitating much inconvenience and delays in manipulating. Other former plans are to connect the two parts by a pin whioh"enters perforations in the base at certain points and to clamp the two at the circumference of the base by various appliances. Of' these lastnamed plans the perforations in the one are extremely liable to become'clogged and thereby rendered useless for the purposes intended, and the appliances in the other are complicated, expensive, and withal do not afford the requisite amount of holding power.

In the" accompanying drawings, forming Serial No. 672,222. (No model.)

part of this specification ,1 have shown so much ofv a swivel-vise as is necessary for the completeillustration of my invention, Figure 1 being a vertical section and elevation upon a plane through the vertical axis; and Fig. 2, a horizontal section and plan view on a plane above the clamping device, omitting the slidins" b64 1 In both the figures like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts;

A is the base on which the vise is mounted, the same being of any suitable form and arranged to be connected withthe bench in any suitable way, as by bolts a, passing through ears, as b. Bis the stationary vise-head, of which the lower portion is circular and rests andturns upon the base A. These two parts may be fitted together in any suitable way, aconvenient way being indicated in Fig. 1, wherein a v circular ledge c, enters a corresponding cavity in the lower portion of head B and thus compels the said head always to maintain its proper position on the base A no matter how it may be turned.

C is the slide-bar which carries the movable vise-head, (not shown,) and D any form of nut with which the clamping-screw is to engage,

E is a centrally located bolt of ample strength for the purposes intended, the same passing through the base A, but not extending below its lowest line, and being supplied with suitable look or jam nuts, as d d, or with other means which will maintain its working 'part' at'a constant length.

F isa substantial lever which engages the headofl bolt E and through the medium of which the clamping force is applied to hold the vise-head rigidly at the point to which it linay be turned on the base.

A recess 6 in the top of lever F receives the head of bolt E, i

and capable of adaptation at little cost. The outer end of lever F is supplied with means for raising it, as the thumb-screw G, which passes through the lever and bears upon the lower part of head I). This screw is always within convenient reach of the operator and is always in order for use, and it may be replaced by a cam or other suitable device. The bottom of head B is recessed, as at h, to admit the lever. The bolt without the nuts is first placed in the lever, and then the latter is introduced up through recess 7L, after which the head is placed on the base, the bolt passing down through the perforation provided for it, and the lever being properly seated the nuts are next applied to the bolt, whereby the base and head are properly united. The head I being turned to any desired point on the base, the turning down of screw G will raise the outer end of lever F, and this will bring a powerful strain upon the central bolt E, clamping the head and base, so that one cannot be moved 011 the other. The ellective leverage may be regulated to any desired extent by varying the length of lever F. This leverage in the example shown is about four to one, and this, together with the advantage afforded by the screw G,is amply sufiicient for all ordinary purposes.

I11 use the lever is in no danger of becoming unseated, for the slide-bar C prevents it from rising in the recess h far enough for the trunnions to leave their beds.

The improvements are very simple, may be applied at very little cost, and they aiford a clamping mechanism in all respects well calculated to answer the purpose of the invention before stated.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a bench-vise, the combination with the base and the vise-head mounted thereon, of a central bolt and a lever engaging with said bolt, the lever extending outside the head and provided with means for raising its outer end, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a bench-vise, the combination with the base and vise-head mounted thereon, of a clamping-lever fulcrum ed within the head, located in a recess in the lower portion of the head, engaging the head of the central bolt, and extending to the exterior where it is provided with means for raising its outer end, said means arranged to bear upon the extended lower portion of the vise-head, substantially as shown and described.

MORTIMER G. LEIVIS.

IVitnesses:

W. O. FITZ SIMMONS, WORTH Oseoon. 

